1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to off-the-road vehicles and general machines and more particularly to a device for obtaining a sample of the gear system lubricating oil when the vehicle or machine is idle.
In the maintenance of large machinery it is common practice to obtain a sample of the gearbox lubricating oil for analysis. By analyzing the various elements in suspension in the oil a determination is made of the worn condition of the gear reduction parts and when it is necessary that maintenance repairs be made or when an overhaul of the gear system is required.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In obtaining samples of gear system lubricating oil it has been common practice to insert a tube into the gear system lubrication area through the oil fill access opening while the vehicle or machine is idle. The inserted tube is connected with a pressure reducing bulb or apparatus for drawing a quantity of the gear lubricant out of the oil bath case which is received by a suitable receptacle. This procedure has the disadvantage of contaminating the gear case by other impurities not normally present in the gear lubricating oil, when access ports are opened for sampling. Further, the sample device is frequently used for successively containing a plurality of gear case oil samples thereby transferring some of the impurities from one gear case oil sample to another by the sampling device. Additionally, such a sample obtaining apparatus is not usually capable of being sealed, as a separate unit, while awaiting its turn for the analyzing function. Also, sampling should be done from the same reference point in the gear case. This sampling point should not be at the discretion of the individual doing the sampling.
This invention is distinctive over the present procedure by providing an oil sample containing device which is relatively inexpensive and therefore may be discarded after a one time use, one of the devices being used for each gear case oil sample obtained. Further, the device operates by pressure differential in combination with an access plug permanently installed on the gear case which seals fluid tight after obtaining an oil sample.